Coal
by Regina Cordium
Summary: The Doctor, Amy, and Rory land in 1863 England to find a collapsed mine that wasn't caused by anything Earthly. Along the way, they get help from two surprising characters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! So, obviously, I did not get up a new chapter of Amy Who. I spent my time, instead, writing this entire fic all the way through! So now I just have to worry about releasing the chapters at regular intervals. I'm thinking every Friday. Sound good?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, unfortunately.**

"Where to today?"

It was a simple question, asked a million times by the same man. The man in question was currently twirling around the console of the TARDIS, flipping levers and pushing buttons as he went.

"Somewhere exciting," Amelia Pond said from her perch on the jump seat. She was busy tying her hair up in an elaborate bun.

"Is there any other kind of place, Pond?" the Doctor asked, flashing her a grin.

"'Course not!" Amy replied, grinning back at him.

"We can go anywhere in time, right?" Rory asked from where he was leaning on the railing across from Amy. The Doctor nodded as he finally stopped running around. "Then let's see some Earth history. There's gotta be _something _interesting on Earth, right?"

The Doctor thought for a minute. "Well, I'm sure we can find something," he said, not sounding too excited about the prospect. He offered all of time _and _space, and all Rory Williams wanted to see was Earth. Typical.

The Doctor typed in random coordinates, not too concerned where they landed. It was _Earth._ As long as it wasn't 5 Billion, 3856, or 9412, they'd be fine.

The TARDIS shook and rolled like it was caught in an earthquake, throwing Amy off the jump seat and onto her face.

"Where'd we land?" she asked, pushing herself up and walking over to where the Doctor was staring at the screen.

"April 19th, 1863. Durham, England!" the Doctor said. A grin stretched across his face. "Durham! That's an interesting name. Something interesting always happens in places with cool names!"

"Well, let's go!" Amy said, rushing towards the doors. The Doctor's voice stopped her before she could throw them open, however.

"Stop right there, Pond! You'll cause people to faint at the sight of ya! Victorian era and short skirts don't exactly mix."

Amy looked down at her outfit and immediately agreed - leather mini skirt, flannel shirt, and knee-high boots did _not _mix with the prudish Victorian era.

"Come on, Rory," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him with her to the wardrobe. "We can find something together."

Twenty minutes later - why did it take so long? Certainly the TARDIS put the clothes close to the front - the two of them returned, dressed in much more appropriate clothing. Amy was wearing an emerald dress with a bustle skirt, a wide-brimmed hat placed on her pinned-up ginger hair. Rory wore a pair of black trousers with a white shirt tucked into them, a gold vest on top and the chain of a pocket watch hanging down his right thigh.

"You aren't changing?" Amy asked the Doctor as she walked back across the console room, the heels of her shoes making a loud clacking noise.

"Nope!" the Doctor said, popping the 'p'. "I think I look nice. Now then - " here he clapped his hands together, a look of glee on his face " - let's get going! There's a town with an interesting name to be explored out there!"

With that, he bounded down the steps and threw open the TARDIS doors.

Bright sunlight blinded the time travelers as they got used to their new environment. A breeze brought enough chill that Amy was glad her dress had long sleeves.

They landed in what looked like no-man's land. Grey stone and rubble was all around them; in the distance, Amy could see what looked like a small house - why would anybody want to live here?

"Where are we?" Rory asked, looking around.

"Appears to be a mine site," the Doctor said, crouching down lifting up a handful of dirt, letting it run through his fingers. "Nobody seems to be around, though."

"Wouldn't say that," Rory said, pointing to something in the distance. Amy followed his finger and saw two figures standing not far off; a boy and girl, by the silhouettes of their clothing. Not very old, either.

The Doctor straightened up and grinned. "Well, then. Let's go introduce ourselves, then!"

**Please R&R!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! Second chapter ahoy! Almost got this out early twice, then decided not to, and then almost forgot...haha Another slow chapter, for which I apologize. The next chapter _should _pick up a bit. Anywho, I hope you guys enjoy (:**

They made their way to the figures, Amy trying her best not to trip over her skirts. _Blimey, how did girls get around?_

As they got closer, Amy got a better look at them. It was a teenage boy and girl, like she had initially thought. The boy was about eighteen or nineteen, with a mop of butter colored hair and eyes so blue they were practically purple. He glanced at her briefly before looking away again; his gaze didn't rest on one thing for long. Everything seemed to interest him.

His companion was younger, probably not much older than sixteen. She had mousy brown hair pulled back from her face in a bun at the back of her neck. She wore a plain, coal-colored dress with a white lace collar that cinched at the waist and fell to the ground, covering her feet. The sleeves reached her wrists and didn't look particularly warm.

"Who're you lot, then?" the boy asked, his gaze flickering between the three strangers in front of him.

"Mine inspectors!" the Doctor said cheerfully, flashing them the psychic paper.

"Lemme see that?" the boy asked, reaching for it. The Doctor obliged and let the two of them examine the paper. They exchanged a glance and the boy handed it back, flipping it shut in the process. The Doctor thought he saw something different flash across it, but found it blank when he opened it back up.

"Well, it's too late for an inspection," the boy said, scratching his face. What looked like ash was smudged across his tanned left cheek and nose. "Mine's already collapsed. We're here to tell people it ain't safe." His eyes flicked to Amy again, and she briefly saw a familiar gleam in them that she couldn't quite place. "Why're you traveling with a woman?"

"She's here to make sure the children are all alright," the Doctor lied quickly. "Y'know, women are so much better at that and children can be such pains."

"There's no children here, ma'am," the girl said, and the time travelers all seemed surprised at the American accent she spoke with. She was looking up at Amy - who was over a head taller than the girl - with green eyes that were a mix of awe and confusion.

"Well, guess you have nothing to worry about then, Amy!" the Doctor said cheerfully. Then he turned back to the teenagers. "What're your names, then?"

"John," the boy said quickly.

"John what?" the Doctor asked.

"Dunno," John said with a shrug. "Haven't used my last name in awhile. Mine owners don't really care about the last names of orphans."

"And what's yours?" Amy asked the girl, giving her a reassuring smile. The poor girl looked nervous.

"K-Kimberly, ma'am," she stammered.

"Nice to meet you, K-Kimberly!" the Doctor said, shaking her hand. That got a smile out of her. Even John was grinning widely.

"No, no. It's _just _Kimberly," she corrected.

"Right. Sorry, _Just _Kimberly."

She laughed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm the Doctor and these are my assistants, Amy and Rory. We're here to find out why the mine's collapsed."

"Weak foundations, I thought," John said, eyebrows crunching together in confusion. "That's what the owner told us, anyway."

"Well, we'll just validate that, alright?"

"Go ahead. Do whatever," John told them, waving a hand behind him, where a large mound could be seen.

"Amy, Rory, stay here and find out what you can. I'll go do my thing," the Doctor said, walking in the direction John had pointed. It wasn't much more than a large mound of dirt and wooden planks. Something big caused it to collapse; it couldn't have been something as simple as _weak foundations._ He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and quickly scanned the mound. It beeped at him sporadically every time it got near any of the wood.

"Rory may be right," he mused. "That really is rubbish."

Meanwhile, Amy and Rory were trying to get as much information out of the two teenagers as they could.

"So, when did the mine collapse?" Rory asked, trying to sound professional.

"Yesterday morning, 'round 10," John said, looking thoughtful. "Sound right, Kimberly?"

Kimberly nodded, the hat she was wearing slipping in her face. She quickly pushed it up. She still looked nervous, like she was about to get yelled at at any second.

"You two look a bit big to work in mines," Amy observed.

"We work in the factories," John explained. "The owner of this mine owns it. Needed somebody to warn people about this place being unsafe - don't want any legal troubles. It's Sunday, so we weren't working and now he doesn't have to pay us or lose any money or anything."

"Have you two been standing here all day?" Rory asked, looking around. It was still pretty chilly out, although the sun was starting to warm up the stones underfoot.

"Most of it," John said with a nod.

"So, is it nice to get fresh air and quiet?" Amy asked Kimberly, giving the girl another smile.

"Yes, ma'am," Kimberly agreed with a nod. Amy was beginning to wonder if the look of awe was something the girl's eyes always shone with.

"Are you two really not getting paid for standing out here?" Rory asked, looking concerned.

"'Course not," John replied, looking surprised that he had even _thought_ about that question. "Why waste the money on two kids workin' on a Sunday?"

_Right,_ Rory thought. _Victorian era. Child labour._

This was going to be a long adventure.


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh geez, guys, I'm so sorry for not posting last week! I forgot all about it D: To make up for it, I'll post two chapters this week. Today's, obviously, and one tomorrow. Also, while I'm thinking about it, heads up for next week: School dance on Friday, and then Castiel feels early Saturday, so next week's chapter will most likely be posted late on Saturday.**

The Doctor walked back over to where the others were waiting, staring at his sonic screwdriver and trying to make sense of the readings. Something alien had caused it, no doubt about it. There was a small puddle of dried up green goop under some of the rocks, and the screwdriver couldn't narrow it down to one specific species. He'd have to check the TARDIS later.

"What's that?"

The Doctor looked up to see John standing close by, staring at the sonic screwdriver. There was something about the boy that unsettled the Doctor a smidge, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Something about his eyes…

"New tool for mine inspectors," the Doctor told him. He looked over at Rory and Amy. "Definitely alien."

"Alien?" John echoed. He crossed his arms over his chest. "10 quid it was the Irish."

"You've got 10 quid?" Kimberly asked him, raising an eyebrow and grinning cheekily. John stuck his tongue out at her childishly before continuing with a grin of his own.

"There was an Irish business man who tried to buy this mine a little bit ago and the owner said no."

"Not that kind of alien," the Doctor informed him, shaking his head.

"Do you know what kind?" Rory asked. He couldn't help but feel a little smug. His suggestion to go to 'boring ol' Earth' found them an alien who liked to smash mines. _Ha!_

"Not yet," the Doctor sighed and then turned his attention back to the teenagers. "So! Have you two seen anything off around here? Seen things in the corner of your eye, heard things that you normally wouldn't?"

"There's been puddles of green stuff around," John said slowly, scratching his chin as he thought. He turned to Kimberly. "What else?"

"It feels like something's underground," she said in her quiet voice. "We sometimes feel like something's tryin' to come up. We thought that maybe somebody was trapped, but it felt too big to be a person."

"Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of, sir," she said, shaking her head. "Sorry."

It was silent as the Doctor racked his brain, until Rory and Kimberly's stomachs both began to rumble.

"S-Sorry," Kimberly said, blushing. "I-I guess it's been awhile since I've eaten last."

"That's nothing to be sorry about!" Amy said. "Rory's hungry, too. We've got food, though. Don't we, Rory?"

Rory looked confused for a second before realizing what she was getting at.

"Right, right. We brought some."

"Doctor," Amy said, trying to get the Time Lord's attention. He was still deep in thought. _Jeez, there must be a lot of burrowing aliens_. Amy hadn't seen him this deep in thought in awhile. "Rory and I are going to make something for lunch. You hungry?'

"No, no. I'm going to check the TARDIS' database to see if it can narrow down the possibilities."

"Rory's gonna make lunch wit' ya?" John asked. Amy looked back to the two teenagers, who both looked thoroughly confused. "Men don't cook."

"Right. Of course they don't!" Amy exclaimed, hastily trying to make up for her slip. _Not in 1863, they don't_. "I just meant that he'd, y'know, help carry it for me if it's too heavy."

This seemed to placate both of them. Before she could slip up any more, Amy turned back towards the TARDIS, the Doctor following close on her heels.

"What do you think it could be?" Amy asked, smiling at John and Kimberly as they walked past. John whispered something into her ear, and she quickly turned and answered, her lips moving rapidly. He shook his head.

Amy slipped through the doors, her heels clacking the whole way to the kitchen. The went down the right hallway while the Doctor and Rory went to the hallway to the left, towards the library - minus a pool. The TARDIS moved it again.

Amy stood in the kitchen, hands on hips. What should she make? From what she remembered from school, working class children didn't eat much; just enough to survive. So nothing too heavy. Although, John and Kimberly didn't look particularly underweight. Thin, yes, but not underfed. She wondered briefly if they get food from another source, then quickly decided she'd rather not know.

She quickly pulled out a large pot, filling it halfway with water. She figured a warm soup would be best right now. It would keep them warm until the sun finally started to warm them up enough. Amy pulled carrots, chicken, celery, pastina, and anything else she decided would be needed for soup.

She was starting to ladle the finished soup into bowls when the Doctor and Rory burst in, causing her to slash some onto the countertops.

"It's either Salitoran or Teehan!" the Doctor announced cheerfully.

"We won't be able to tell for sure unless we get a good look at it," Rory explained. "One of them's purple and the other's green. Other than that, they're pretty similar. I guess the planets are close to each other."

"Excellent. Now, help me bring these bowls out. Those poor kids are probably starving," Amy said, lifting the two bowls closest to her. The Doctor grabbed some spoons as Rory picked up the other two and led the way through the halls of the TARDIS and across the stony ground to where Kimberly and John were sitting on a large flat boulder. They stopped talking suddenly when they saw the three of them coming up.

"Here, some soup," Amy told them with a smile, handing them both a bowl. "It'll keep you two warm."

"Thank you." Kimberly took her bowl and spoon with a grateful smile, and started eating slowly.

"Have you two seen any flashes of purple or green, by any chance?" the Doctor asked, leaning against the rock they were sitting on.

"Can't say we have," John said before filling his mouth to the brim with soup. Amy stared at him, surprised. It was still pretty hot; how in the world could that boy eat it so quickly? "Does this have something to do with the mine collapsing?"

"Yes."

"No."

Amy and the Doctor glared at each other.

"Pond, it's not worth lying. I'm sure they've had enough adults lie to them," the Doctor pointed out.

"Lying's part of human nature," John said with a shrug. "If something'll make something better, than why not pick that? Y'get where I'm coming from?"

"Smart kid," the Doctor said, reaching down to pat the kid's head. John jerked out of his way, before his hand could make contact. There were a few tense seconds of silence before Kimberly broke it.

"So, uhm, why…why are we supposed to be seeing green or purple, s-sir?" she asked.

"We believe that the thing that collapsed the mine is either green or purple," the Doctor explained, trying not to stare at John. What was with that reaction? Did the boy think the Doctor was going to hit him or something? Actually, now that part of the Doctor's brain thought about it, he probably did.

"You said it was aliens, though," John said. "Humans ain't green or purple."

"And I told you, not that kind of alien," the Doctor reminded him.

"What other kind is there?"

"The kind from space," Amy told him. "They come from the stars."

"The stars?" John asked, looking at her incredulously. "That's ridiculous. Nothing's up there."

"You'd be surprised, kid," she said with a shrug.

"I'm not much younger than you are," he pointed out. "No need to call me kid."

"I call everybody kid," Amy told him with a dismissive flap of her hand. "Don't get angry about it or anything."

"She's not lying," Rory interjected. "Sounds mental, I know. I thought so, too, but she's right. There's entire civilizations living up there, on different planets."

"You're right. That _is _mental," John snorted. Kimberly looked like she was desperately trying not to smile.

_She probably thinks we all belong in an asylum, _Amy mused to herself.

"Are there any open ways into the mine still?" the Doctor asked as they finished eating.

"Yes, sir," John said, smiling a smile that the Doctor couldn't quite understand. It appeared to be a mix of joy, irony, and secrecy.

"Show us the way, then!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Oh my gosh, guys! During third period today, I realized that, while I uploaded the story to the Doc Manager, I never actually updated! I am so sorry xD Erm...action finally picks up, although the chapter's still short. Sorry 'bout that; they'll all like that. Regardless, enjoy! And please feel free to point out anything I've gotten wrong or that sounds weird. I've had to backtrack about something I messed up earlier and right it a bit in this chapter. Okay, annoying long A/N over now, cross my heart(s).**

They walked across the rubble and stones, past the mound that once was an entrance to the mine.

"Parts of it's still up, I guess," John was saying. "There's an entrance or two still open, and there's still paths underground. It's not safe to go under, though. Why so interested?" He turned to look at the Doctor with what could be considered concern, if you squint and tilt your head. "You ain't going down there, are you?"

"'Course not!" the Doctor said, but Amy could tell the feeling wasn't in it.

As the two of them continued talking, Amy and Rory followed behind with Kimberly.

"So, Kimberly," Amy started. "How long have you been in England for?"

"John!" Kimberly called. The boy turned back to look at her. "We've been working together for about a year now, right?"

"Right!"

"About a year," she told Amy, smiling up at her.

"How old are you?" Amy asked. "You act so mature for a young face."

Kimberly chuckled. "I turn seventeen…" she trailed off, brows furrowing as she thought. "Later this month, actually."

"You barely look sixteen," Rory said, raising an eyebrow.

"I get that a lot," she sighed, the grin tugging at her lips disregarding the sad tone of her voice. "I blame my height, really."

"Not everybody can be tall like me," Amy laughed. Kimberly and Rory couldn't help but join in. Amy caught Kimberly look up at her and grinned.

"You keep looking at me like I've got three heads or something," she teased, seeing the admiration in the younger girl's eyes. Kimberly's cheeks reddened and she dropped her gaze.

"S-Sorry, ma'am," she stammered. "It's just…You honestly seem to care about how John and I are doing, about our history and such. The rich don't usually care about poor factory workers, unless they can somehow turn a profit."

Amy and Rory looked at each other over her head, both surprised at how suddenly bitter the girl sounded.

"We're not all that rich," Rory said, trying to placate her. Kimberly rolled her eyes, no longer looking bitter.

"You've got a fancy suit on and a gold pocket watch, and she's wearing a bustle skirt. Not everybody goes 'round wearin' them in 1863. Only the richest trendsetters."

Hoping to turn the subject off of his and Amy's (slightly historically wrong) 'rich' wardrobe, Rory changed the subject. "Why'd you come to this place, anyway? What's wrong with ol' America?"

"M-My parents died," Kimberly mumbled, lowering her head. "I had family here, but none really took me in. The factory has lodging for workers, so it's a constant place to sleep if needed."

"That's terrible," Rory said. "How'd you meet John?"

"Factory. He showed me around a bit. Kind of became my partner in crime, y'know what I mean?"

"Rory and I are like that," Amy told her with a nod. "Right, Rory?"

"Yes, ma'am," Rory agreed, nodding right back to her.

"So, uh, was the Doctor being serious when he said aliens?" Kimberly asked, trying desperately to change the subject. "From the _stars? _That is not possible."

"It is, though," Rory said in his most convincing tone of voice. "The Doctor's from space, too."

Kimberly looked at him in alarm. "Is he dangerous?"

"Only to himself and anything that interests him," he said, smiling to let her know he was only joking and, no, the Doctor mainly wasn't dangerous - at least while on Earth.

"You three coming or what?" the Doctor called. Him and John were standing in front of what looked like a wooden well. The three of them hurried up to stand with them.

"What's this, then?" Amy asked, rushing forward to look down it. She could see nothing but darkness.

"Ventilation shaft and a place to lower supplies," Kimberly informed her, coming up to stand next to her. "We're not sure if any part over here has collapsed or not. It's all open further on."

"How big is this mine?" the Doctor asked, surprised. "We walked for a while."

"It's pretty big," John said with a nod. "Under almost all of the stone here. It's a wonder it hasn't collapsed before now, really. There was a lot of -"

There was a large gust of wind, which blew Amy's hat right off of her head, followed by a heart wrenching shriek.

"_Doctor!_"

"Kimberly!" John yelled, rushing forward. Amy, who had started to run after her hat, looked back at the wooden structure and saw a large purple tentacle coming out of it. She followed it up into the air and felt her heart drop into her stomach when she saw Kimberly dangling in the air, the tentacle wrapped around her stomach.

"Kimberly, hold on!" John yelled up at her.

"Do-John, do something!" Kimberly called back. The Doctor could hear how choked up she sounded; the girl was definitely close to tears. She started to kick and thrash - there was something about her shoes that the Doctor immediately pegged as off, but he decided to worry about it when Kimberly _wasn't _dangling 20 feet in the air by a giant alien tentacle.

"Stop trashing!" John yelled. "You're only going to make it angry!"

"I'm not really concerned about its _feelings_right now!" Kimberly snapped. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was quieted by the tentacle suddenly pulled back into the shaft, taking her with it.

"_Doctor, do something!_" she shrieked as she disappeared from sight. The Doctor looked back at Amy and Rory.

"It's Salitoran!" the Doctor said, jumping up to stand on the well around the shaft.

"Wha- Doctor, what are you doing?" Rory demanded as the Doctor crouched down.

"_Geronimo!_" he exclaimed as he jumped into the shaft.


	5. Chapter 5

**Who sucks at deadlines? _This girl. _Sorry for the late chapter again, guys! Another small one, more rising action sort of. Not many more chapters after this. Still debating on whether I want to add more to the last chapter or not. If you don't mind me totally ruining the end of this, PM me and I'll throw the idea around with ya. As usually, review, fav, etc etc**

The Doctor landed with an 'oomph'. He quickly rolled onto his back and looked back up the shaft. The light looked farther away than he expected, even for a mine. He turned his head to his left and found the way almost entirely blocked by rubble. To the right, a surprisingly large passage way opened up to him.

_Right it is, then,_ he thought.

The Doctor slowly stood up and found that, even though the opening was large, he still had to bend his legs and lean forward a bit. The Salitoran had enlarged the passageway when its tentacle had smashed through to above ground; the edges were jagged and rocks littered the ground. The Doctor carefully picked his way down the passageway, trying not to trip. It became dark as pitch as he slowly walked away from where he landed, and he eventually took his sonic screwdriver out of his jacket pocket and held it out in front of him like a torch.

He walked for about ten minutes until he came upon a large lump laying off to the side.

"Kimberly!" he whispered, his voice echoing so much that it sounded like he was talking normally. He rushed to her side and quickly pressed his fingers to her neck. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her steady pulse. "Kimberly, wake up. I need you to wake up now."

"Mmm. Doctor?" she grumbled. She slowly opened her eyes, wincing slightly at the brightness of the sonic screwdriver. She looked around wildly; she'd lost her hat and her hair had fallen out of its bun, which resulting in her hair flying everywhere as she turned her head.

"We're in the mine," the Doctor informed her, straightening up as much as he could. "The Salitoran pulled you under. I can't tell you why, though, because I haven't a clue."

Kimberly nodded slowly and stood up. Short as she was, even she had to bend her knees so she didn't hit her head. "How are we supposed to get out?" she asked as the Doctor set off down the passageway once more.

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to keep walking, won't we?" the Doctor turned back to smile at her. "Don't worry. I've gotten stuck in worse situations and have gotten out just fine."

"I'm sure you'll get us out," Kimberly told him, grinning back. The Doctor's grin grew; it was nice knowing she had faith in him without having to prove his genius.

Above the mine, the others weren't so confident.

"What the _hell _was he thinking?" Amy demanded, staring down the shaft. "He really is the biggest idiot in the universe!"

"Amy, come on," Rory said, pulling her away. "He said it was a Salitoran, right? There's probably something about them in the TARDIS library." He turned to talk to John, who was still standing about a foot from the wooden structure, a look of deep thought on his face. "John, come with us. We're gonna find a way to get Kimberly back, alright? In the meantime, the Doctor will keep her safe."

John tore his attention from whatever it was he was thinking about and smiled. "I'm sure he will. Kimberly'll probably kill him if he doesn't."

"That's the spirit" Rory laughed, pulling Amy with him as they started their miniature journey back to the TARDIS. When they finally reached the doors, which felt like forever to Amy, she turned back to John.

"You're going to lose your mind when you see the inside," she stage whispered to him, a grin worming its way onto her face. John, however, had a look of both panic and longing.

"I-I can't," he stammered.

"Don't worry," Rory said, patting him on the shoulder. "It's loads bigger on the inside. Trust us."

"No, really," John insisted. "I can't. You two go do whatever. I'll…I'll just wait out here."

Amy and Rory exchanged a look and, after a shrug from the latter, the two of them disappeared into the TARDIS and quickly ran to the library, Amy cursing the skirts she wore loudly.

"What did he say it was called?" Amy called as she ran down one alleyway of bookshelves. "Salitoran?"

"Yeah," Rory called back. "From the planet Salitoria! There's a few books by where you are!"

Amy scoured the bookshelves and came away with three books on Salitoria.

"Any luck, Rory?" she called as she walked back into the main hallway of the massive library. Rory walked over, a large purple book open in his hands.

"This is the one that the Doctor was reading while you made lunch," he told her as he leafed through the pages. "There's all sorts of information about the Salitorans in here."

He read several passages aloud as they made their way back outside, where John was still waiting, stroking the TARDIS absentmindedly with one hand.

"'_The Salitorans are known for their burrowing nature. Almost all of their planet is underground. It is easy to tell what planets have been taken over by the Salitorans. They start by sinking the entire planet underground, so it feels like home.'_"

Amy stared at Rory in horror. "So whatever sank the mine is going to try to sink the entire _planet_?" she asked, voice squeaking.

"Not if we have anything to say about it," John grumbled, more to himself than the other two. A look of pure determination flashed in his blue eyes, reminding Amy so much of the Doctor.

"Are they particularly dangerous?" he asked, pulling one of the books out of Amy's hands. He began flipping through the pages. "We need to know if Kimberly and the Doctor are in immediate danger." His finger tapped on the page. "Here we go. '_Contrary to popular conception, Salitorans will not attack anyone unless attacked first. They tend to try to collapse the entire planet without directly attacking the citizens. This makes them some of the most dangerous invaders in the universe; they often slip under the radar until it is too late.'"_

"Well, that's good," Rory said. He paused before adding, "I think."

"Good for now," John agreed. "Means that they won't be in too much danger, as long as they don't irritate the Salitoran."

"Knowing the Doctor, that won't be very long," Amy mused.


	6. Chapter 6

**Look, early chapter for once ever. I stayed home from school today and thought, "They deserve this because I suck at deadlines..." So heyyyy. Three more chapters after this! I really have to force myself not to post all the chapters right now because I love the ending so much and want to see people's reactions! haha Anyway, review, critiques, etc loved. Also, I still need someone's opinions on if I should add another part to the last chapter. PM me if you don't mind spoilers!**

"I think we're getting close to where the Salitoran is," the Doctor said over his shoulder to Kimberly. The girl was running her hands up and down her arms, causing the Doctor to frown. "Are you cold?"

"A-a little," she admitted. "But I'll be-" She trailed off as the Doctor threw his jacket over her shoulders. "Thanks. But aren't you going to be cold?"

"I have superior biology," he told her, a twinge of smugness sneaking its way into his voice. "I won't get cold."

"I see," Kimberly said. As the Doctor turned back around, he could of sworn he heard her mumble, "Always a bragger, it seems."

They walked on, making small talk as they went.

"So, besides this little escapade and the whole working in a factory thing, how are you liking England?" he asked, stepping around a particularly large chunk of rock. The rubble was getting bigger, so the Doctor hoped that meant they were getting closer to where the Salitoran was nesting. A giant purple squid underneath a mine wasn't going to be the most challenging thing to find.

"It's alright," Kimberly was saying. "The cities are gross, but my uncle brought John and I into the countryside once. It was so beautiful." Her voice got a wistful tone to it. "The sun was going down, and the stars were just beginning to come out."

"Uncle?" the Doctor echoed. "You've got an uncle and you're still working in factories and living in the lodging house?"

"Uncle Jack is a bit down on his luck himself," she defended him quickly. "He's livin' in a boarding house himself, and he can barely pay his own rent, let alone the rent for his orphaned niece. I only have to work until I'm an adult, anyway. I get what my parents left me when I turn 18."

The Doctor mulled this over. The Victorian Era was infamous for not particularly caring much for children, especially workers, but the Doctor still thought this was just a bit ridiculous. Kimberly was family, and 'Uncle Jack' should take her in, regardless of how rich he was. The nonchalant way she told this rubbed him the wrong way, too.

"So, do you give your wages to your uncle, then?" the Doctor asked.

"No. I keep them, for the most part." The Doctor heard her kick a rock out of the way. "I'm saving up to go back home, to America. John wants to see Boston and I'm a bit homesick."

The Doctor whirled around. "You can't."

Kimberly looked at him in surprise. "Why not?"

"There's a _civil war _going on over there," he reminded her. "It's been going on for almost two years."

Kimberly stared blankly at him for a moment before furrowing her eyebrows. "Oh, right." She sounded as if somebody had reminded her of the weather, or a project for school due that Friday. "There was word about it going around the factory a little while ago. I can't believe I forgot about that…"

They walked in silence again until the walls turned from stone to metal and they could both stand completely straight without fear of smashing their heads on the ceiling.

"Where are we now?" Kimberly whispered, running one hand over the cold steel.

"The ship of the Salitoran," he whispered back. "Stay close. I don't know where it is, or if it's angry."

Kimberly grabbed onto the back of his shirt and stayed quiet as they walked slowly through the ship's hallways, trying to walk quietly.

"What shoes are you wearing?" the Doctor whispered as one of Kimberly's steps echoed loudly. He turned around and stared at the boots she was wearing. They were made of brown leather, lacing almost to her kneecap and giving her at least an extra inch of height - not that it helped much. They looked like a strange combination of 1860s work boots and 21st century combat boots. "Where did you find those?"

"John found them and gave them to me when he saw my old ones were worn out," she said with a shrug. "I 'unno where he found 'em."

The Doctor let out a 'hmm' noise and continued on; he could tell Kimberly was taking great pains to walk as quietly as a cat now. He still had question he'd been wondering about, though.

"Why'd you call me?"

"What?"

"When the Salitoran first grabbed you, you shouted 'Doctor' before you did 'John'," he reminded her.

"Oh," she said. "Well, it was more force of habit than anything, I suppose."

"Force of habit?" he asked, turned his head to look at her. The Doctor saw something that looked a bit like panic flash through her green eyes.

"Y-Yeah. Force of habit." She let out a nervous sort of laugh. "When there's something dangerous at the factory - an accident, or even an occasional fight - that you can't handle yourself, you call for the strongest person available. You're almost taller than John - which is something, because that boy is _tall _- and seem stronger."

"Makes sense," the Doctor agreed with a nod. They finally made their way to a fork in the hallway. "Which way?"

"John says to always go left," Kimberly said, moving to stand next to him.

"Ah, wise kid," he said with a grin. "A friend of mine saved the world by going left."

"Really?" Kimberly asked looking up at him. "How?"

"I'll tell you later," the Doctor promised as they started down the left hallway. This hallway was significantly smaller, and in no time the two of them were face to face with the giant, purple squid-like face of the Salitoran, which wore an expression that suggested it had been waiting for them for a long while.

"Watch me work my magic," the Doctor whispered to Kimberly.

"Don't get us killed," Kimberly said, stepping back and flashing him two thumbs up.

"Thanks for the confidence boost," he grumbled, a smile spreading itself on his face despite this.

"Any time!"

The Doctor chuckled before turning his full attention to the waiting alien. "What are you doing on Earth?" he demanded.

"My planet is becoming too overpopulated," the Salitoran replied, it's voice booming echoing through the dimly lit spaceship.

"You didn't entirely answer my question," the Doctor pointed out, crossing his arms across his chest. He heard Kimberly shift her weight and take in a quiet breath.

"I, and many like me, was sent to find planets to sink so that my kind could take them over and make them our own."

"You can't do that!' Kimberly interrupted, striding forward to stand next to the Doctor. "What about the people already living here?"

"They are not of my concern, Earth child," the alien said, its tone scornful. The Doctor was staring at Kimberly.

"You can understand it?" he asked. Kimberly looked at him, eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Of course." Then she turned back to the alien. "There are hundreds of millions of people on this planet. We can't live underground like you can. We need oxygen and water and trees. Everyone on this planet will _die. _How would you like it if somebody invaded your planet and killed your entire species?"

"My species needs room to grow," the Salitoran insisted. "The fate of your people has nothing to do with me."

"Maybe we can work out a deal?" the Doctor suggesting, breaking into the conversation he had been listening to with great interest.

"What sort of deal?" the alien asked, narrowing its fishy eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, guys! Almost at the end of this! That's so sad D: I'm gonna keep this short because I'm adding a longer AN at the end, talking about another story. ALSO, I should mention this takes place during S5. Probably would've been good to know earlier, but eh. Without further ado, chapter 7!**

"Did you find anything that could help the Doctor and Kimberly?" Amy asked Rory as she paced nervously in front of the rock John and Kimberly had sat on while they ate lunch. Was that really only an hour ago? It seemed like so long ago now.

"No," Rory sighed, rubbing his face with one of his hands. "The only thing this book talks about is how they're distracted by music."

"They could make a run for it, at the very least," John mused, not looking up from the book he was reading. "Kimberly's quite the singer."

"Great," Amy snorted. "They can run through half-collapsed mines while Kimberly sings the whole time. Doesn't help us."

"Only trying to help, Pond," John grumbled. "Jeez."

"Sorry, sorry," Amy sighed. "I just don't like not knowing what to do."

"The Doctor's smart," Rory reminded her, standing up and placing his hand on her shoulder. He caught her glance and held it. "He'll get them out of there."

"Seems like the kind to get everyone killed," John muttered, definitely not meaning to be heard.

"What?" Amy snapped. The nerve of him!

John glanced up through his lashes, saw the angry and confused expressions of Amy and Rory (respectively), and lifted his head from the heavy book in his lap.

"Sorry," he said, sounding honestly genuine. "Was that rude? Kimberly always tells me when I'm being rude. I'm apparently rude now."

Amy made a 'humph' noise and sat down. "Well, he'll be able to get himself and Kimberly out. He's good about not dying."

Amy could've _sworn _she heard John then mutter something that involved what _sounded_ like the word 'regenerate', but disregarded it. What did 'regenerate' mean to her, anyway?

Kimberly looked at the Doctor incredulously.

"You have a plan, then?" she asked.

"I will once I stop talking," the Doctor informed her, patting her on the head.

"You're winging it." It wasn't a question.

"Exactly!" the Doctor exclaimed before turning back to Salitoran. "There are thousands of planets in this universe. Some, if you believe it or not, are completely abandoned. Not many, mind you. Mainly due to extreme weather. But, since you lot live underground, than that shouldn't be too big of a problem. I can reroute this ship to bring you there _after _you allow Kimberly and I to leave."

"And if I refuse?" the Salitoran asked. If it had eyebrows, it would have lifted one. The Doctor wasn't particularly fond of its snarky attitude. However, he didn't have room to complain. He was currently trying to think of a way to get him and Kimberly out without killing anyone or anything. Harder said than done, unfortunately.

"Then I'm afraid I'm going to have to do something I'd really rather not," the Doctor warned, his voice gaining a dangerous tone.

A rumbling laugh shook the ship around them.

"I do not fear you, Time Lord," the Salitoran sneered.

"You really ought to," the Doctor insisted with a shrug. "So, my offer. Do you take it? Or should I prepare to lock you in your ship for good?"

Another rumbling laugh that stopped suddenly. The alien in front of them leaned forward, causing Kimberly to step backwards, and narrowed its eyes. "Are there really abandoned planets that we can inhabit?"

"Yes!" the Doctor said excitedly. "If you tell me where the control panel is, I can set the coordinates. But you have to _promise _me that you'll let Kimberly and I go."

"Yes, yes," it said, waving a tentacle in the air dismissively. "I promise. Down that left hallway, fifth door on the right." It turned its attention to Kimberly. "Earth child. Your voice pleases me. Can you sing?"

"Y-Yes," Kimberly stammered, not expecting to be addressed, let alone asked about her singing abilities. She turned to the Doctor. "You go put in the coordinates. I'll stay here and…sing, I suppose."

The Doctor looked worried for a second - he still wasn't entirely sure if the Salitoran would attack or not. They're not known for premeditated attacks, but he couldn't be sure if it was angry enough or not - but with a nod from Kimberly, he set off in the direction the Salitoran indicated. He heard Kimberly starting to sing 'Amazing Grace' and was impressed - he hadn't pegged her to have such a singing voice.

Pulling his attention back to the task at hand, the Doctor burst into the control room and immediately set to work. He went to the main computer and typed in coordinated as they came to his mind. Alavar was abandoned at this point in time; earthquakes had already sank most of the planet. Helping the evacuation had been quite the day. He didn't think Martha ever quite forgave him for accidentally setting her coat on fire…Anyway, the Salitorans would be right at home there. The Doctor danced around the room, inputting data here, flipping a switch there. It wasn't much different than flying the TARDIS, except this ship didn't go anywhen, only anywhere.

He quickly double-checked everything and, satisfied that everything was correct, he made his way back to the main lobby. The closer he got, the clearer Kimberly's singing became.

"-loak of leaves, a moonbea-"

"Kimberly!" the Doctor called, jogging the last few yards. She stopped singing and turned to watch the Doctor make his way back over to her.

"Did you set the coordinates?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, giving her a salute. He turned to the Salitoran. "The ship will leave in twenty minutes. Now, bring Kimberly and I back to the surface."

"No."

* * *

><p><strong>Whoops, taking away from dramatic ending a bit. Anyway, are any of you guys familiar with my other story, Amy Who? Well, after seeing an AU meme on Tumblr and rereading the story, I've decided I don't like it. So, I'm going to be completely rewriting it. It'll be up after Coal's done, and when it does go up, Amy Who will be deleted. So, enjoy it until now (:<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Almost done with this. I am oddly excited to see how people react to the ending. Muaha. Anywho, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

The Doctor felt his eyes widen, and Kimberly grabbed onto his sleeve.

"What do you mean, _no_?" the Doctor demanded. He could hear the hysterics trying to worm their way into his voice. "A deal is a deal."

"Self preservation, Doctor," the Salitoran said, like he was scolding a misbehaving toddler. "You have given me a place where I can burrow without fear of death. I have no need for you now. You can go."

The Doctor started to run back towards the control room, but a tentacle slid in front of the doorway. A 'tsk tsk' sound filled the room.

"No, no, Doctor," the Salitoran rumbled. "Can't have you changing the coordinates, now can I?"

The Doctor glared at the squid, feeling anger towards both it and himself. He let himself get tricked by a giant space squid that lives underground. He would never live this down, even from himself. He could feel the rage swirl inside his stomach, feel the Oncoming Storm slip into control.

"Doctor, it's not blocking the way we came."

The Doctor looked down to see Kimberly staring up at him - Rassilon, this girl was short; how tall was she? 5'2", 5'3", without the boots? - and gripping onto his sleeve again. She was pointing behind her at the passageway back into the mine. He glanced back at the Salitoran, who was making no effort to block this way of escaping. He grabbed Kimberly's hand - it was a bit and the Doctor could feel a scar on the top of her palm, but something about it seemed _off _- and started pulling her with him back the way they had come, sonic screwdriver acting as a torch once again.

They went as quickly as they could with the low ceilings and Kimberly's skirts and the panic. They were only halfway back to where the Doctor had landed when they felt the ground begin to rumble.

"The ship's getting ready to launch," the Doctor said through clenched teeth. "Five more minutes, maximum."

That got them to go a little quicker, but not quick enough. They were thrown to the ground as the tremors grew more intense. Rocks began to fall from above, and the Doctor did his best to shield Kimberly from any falling rubble.

"What was that?" Rory asked as the rumbling slowed down. John opened his mouth to say something but stopped.

"There's your answer," Amy said, pointing. Rory turned to see a silver spaceship burst out of the ground close to where the little house - which John had informed them was the main office - stood and fly up into the sky.

"Where's the Doctor and Kimberly, then?" Amy asked, rushing forward. "Do you think they're hurt or, or…"

"I'm sure they're fine," John said, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Let's go back to the ventilation shaft. Maybe they made their way back there and are trying to think of a way up."

Amy rubbed her eyes and nodded. "Alright. It's the best plan I can think of right now."

The Doctor opened one eye as the rumbling stopped.

"Kimberly, are you okay?" he whispered.

"I will be when you get off," she grumbled. The Doctor apologized and quickly did as instructed. He stood up the best he could and brushed himself off. Helping Kimberly to her feet, he looked around.

"Our way's still open," he said, picked the sonic off of the ground next. "Let's keep moving."

It took even longer now that there was more rubble laying around. Dust hung heavily in the air, causing Kimberly to cough. Even the Doctor could feel it tickling the back of his throat.

"There's a handkerchief in one of the pockets," the Doctor told her. He heard the rustle of his jacket and a gasp.

"How deep are your pockets?" Kimberly asked, causing the Doctor to grin.

"Very."

They walked on for what seemed like forever (but in reality was only eighteen minutes and forty seconds) before the light from the ventilation shaft started to flow down the passage way. The Doctor and Kimberly rushed forward until they were standing underneath it and could straighten up.

"How do we get back up?" Kimberly asked, craning her neck.

"Excellent question," the Doctor observed. "You'd be a great companion."

She grinned what appeared to the Doctor to be a knowing smile.


	9. Chapter 9

John was staring down the shaft when he saw two miniscule shadows move down at the very, very bottom.

"Kimberly!" he shouted down. "Kimberly, is that you?"

Amy and Rory rushed to his side. "Do you see something?" Amy asked, looking down. She could only see darkness.

"I saw two shadows move at the very bottom," John said. "Kimberly!"

"Do-Don't worry!" Kimberly's voice came back up, barely audible. "We're fine. Dirty, sweaty, and scammed, but fine!"

"We're gonna get you up!" John yelled back. He pulled away and looked between Rory and Amy. "Any ideas on how to get them up?"

"Your friend has good eyesight," the Doctor said distractedly as he paced back and forth. He was trying to think of how to get back up. It was a very long way up; there was no way Kimberly would be able to climb in her dress.

"Hey!" the Doctor bellowed up, causing Kimberly to cover her ears. The echo down there could deafen even the Doctor. "Is there any rope up there?"

There was a moment of silence before Rory yelled back, "No!"

"Kimberly, check the pockets of my jacket," the Doctor said, turning to the girl. She riffled through the right inside pocket, and then the left. Her eyebrows furrowed together and she reached in to her elbow. A heartsbeat later, she pulled out a length of rope with a triumphant expression.

"Excellent!" the Doctor exclaimed as he grabbed it from her. "Now search for an anchor of some sort."

She set back to work, searching both inside pockets before going to the outside.

"How much stuff could you possibly need to carry in your pockets?" she asked, almost up to her shoulder in the left pocket.

"Nine hundred years of junk builds up," the Doctor said dismissively.

She snorted and moved on to the right. "I feel something that could be an anchor, but it's heavy."

Kimberly slipped off his jacket and handed it back. The Doctor put it back on and reached into the right pocket. Ah, there it was. He pulled out the metal contraption with ease and grinned. It was the edge of the grappling hook; perfect. He quickly tied the rope to the loop in the center.

"Stand back," he commanded, swinging the hook around a few times.

"Do you honestly think you're going to reach the top from here?" Kimberly asked, doing as told regardless. "It's got to be at least twenty feet up, if not more."

"I've got a strong arm," he assured her. "Superior biology and all."

"Superior modesty as well," she said, rolling her eyes. The Doctor grinned at her before turning his head back up at the sunlight.

"Stand back up there!" he yelled. "I'm about to do something stupid!"

He swung the hook a few more times before throwing it up. It _almost _reached the top before falling back to the ground. The Doctor jumped out of the way to avoid getting hit; being forced to regenerate in a mine due to a head injury wouldn't help _anybody_.

He tried a few more tries. On the sixth try, it finally caught.

"Ah ha!" he cried, throwing his hands in the air in triumph. He turned to Kimberly, who was looking at him with a mix of amusement and astonishment. "Ladies first. Unless you want to stay in the mine for a longer time. Completely up to-"

"Move, Time Lord," she laughed, making her way to the rope. "Hold it tight. If I fall, I'll never forgive you."

"Duly noted," the Doctor said with a nod. He held the rope as Kimberly started her slow ascent. He could hear her taking slow, deep breaths. It really was a long way up. He prayed - to whom, he couldn't really say. The universe in general, he supposed - that she didn't fall. Thirteen minutes later, however, she was being lifting through the top of the shaft. The Doctor quickly began his own ascent; it was harder without someone holding the rope firmly in place, and he swung around wildly and hit the side of the shaft numerous times.

Eleven minutes, twenty one seconds, and nine bruises later, he clambered out of the shaft as well. He looked around to see Kimberly with her arms wrapped around John's neck and John swinging her around.

Amy rushed forward and wrapped the Doctor in a hug of his own.

"Don't ever get trapped in a mine with a space squid again," she said against his shoulder.

"Wasn't planning on it," the Doctor laughed. He pulled away and examined his filthy clothes. "I really ought to teach you two how to fly the TARDIS. It would have made this rescue a million times easier."

Rory was about to respond when the sound of skin slapping fabric was heard and an indignant "Ouch!" from John echoed. The three of them turned to see Kimberly and John glaring at each other. There was such a fire in Kimberly's green eyes that Rory immediately felt bad for the boy, for whatever it was that he did.

They stayed like that for another moment until Kimberly turned back to the others, smiling warmly.

"Thank you for saving me, Doctor," she said, curtsying. "I owe you one."

"Come along, Addams," John said, offering her his right elbow. Kimberly slipped her left hand into the crook of his arm. "We should leave a note in the office saying it's safe to start rebuilding the mines."

With a final wave, the two of them started off towards the office. Amy smiled and grabbed Rory's arm, and the three of them started back towards the TARDIS. Halfway there, Rory stopped and bent over to pick up a hat.

"Amy, is this your hat?" he asked, holding it out to her.

"No, that's Kimberly's," Amy said, taking it from him. "She's going to want this back. Let's go."

Amy picked up her skirts and started hurrying to the office. She was about to enter when she heard a female laugh come from behind the building.

"If I had known that was a recycled joke," Kimberly was saying. "I would've have laughed the first time."

"That is a beautiful joke and you would've laughed anyway," John said, his cheeky grin evident in his voice.

Amy peeked around the building and felt her heart fall into her stomach. The Doctor and Rory appeared beside her just in time to watch John open the door to a familiar blue box.

"Jack!" he shouted, running in. "What are you doing to my control room?"

"And where's your shirt?" Kimberly asked, running in after him.

The door shut on its own and slowly started to fade away with the familiar _vwhoosh _sound that seemed to hang in the air, practically tangible.

"Did they just…?" Rory asked, dumbfounded.

"Yup," the Doctor responded, eyes wide as saucers.

"So does that mean we just met…?"

"Looks like."

"How does tea sound?" Amy asked, turning around slowly and walking back to the TARDIS - her TARDIS.

"Normal," Rory said. "Extremely normal."

149 years - well, relatively speaking - and two regenerations later, the Doctor was pressed against the brick wall of a Boston alleyway, peeking around the corner to make sure there was no sign of the Sontaran.

He turned to the girl cowering next to him, green eyes wide.

"I'm the Doctor, by the way," he said with a grin.

"K-Kimberly," she stammered, still trying to catch her breath.

"Nice you meet you, K-Kimberly," he told her, remembering the 1860s mine.

"No, it's _just _Kimberly," she told him, a smile worming its way onto her face anyway. Then her eyes shifted over his shoulder. The Doctor turned and saw the Sontaran turning the corner. He turned back to Kimberly and grabbed her hand.

"Time to run, Just Kimberly!"

* * *

><p><strong>And that's all, folks! Hope you enjoyed the ride! Did any of you guys guess the ending? I'm still not <em>entirely <em>in love with the last few paragraphs with Kimberly and her Doctor, so it might get edited in the future.**

**Anyway, I'm still working on the rewrite of Amy Who. The WIP title is currently Geronimo, and it will most likely be submitted under that title, so look out for it in the near future!**


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